Bottle-filling machine



T. E. PENNOCK. BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 3. 1919.

moaw toz W E ?SHEETSSHEET I.

Patented May 30, 1922.

T. E. PENNOCK.

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3| 1919.

T. E. PENNOCK.

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.3. 1919.

Patented May 30, 1922.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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T. E. PENNOCK.

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.3. I919.

Patented. May 30, 1922.

7 SHEETSSHEET 4.

T. E. PENNOCK;

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1919.

1 41 8 293, Patented May 30, 1922.

'1' SHEETS-SHEET 6.

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IDS-C T. E. PENNOCK.

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.3, 1919.

. parts on PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE E. PIE-KNOCK, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YQRK.

BOTTLE-FILLING Macrame.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1922.

Application filed April 3, 1919. Serial No. 287,270.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, THEODORE E. PEN- NOOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle- Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine that will automatically fill bottles and cans. This and other objects of the invention will be illustrated with drawings described in the specification and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 5 -3 of Figure 1.-

Figure 4 is a top plan View partly broken away of the right hand end of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a Vertical section on the line 5"---5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detailed view of an adjustable cam used for timing the operation of the feeding belts.

Figure 7 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Figure 1, showing a portion of the an enlarged scale, the bottle being shown raised to filling position.

Figure 8 is a detailed view showing a portion of the upright 78 illustrated at the top of Figure 1.

Figure-9 is a side elevation of a block for supporting a nozzle.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the block shown in Figure 9.

- Figures 11, 13, gitudinal sections of different types 0 nozzles used in this machine.

Figures 12, 14, 16 and 18 are transverse sections of the nozzles shown in Figures 11, 13, 15 and 17, respectively, the sections bein indicated by the section lines 12 -12", la -14", 16 -16" and 18"18 respectively.

Figure 19 is a top plan view of the pusher arm for moving the bottles laterally.

Figure 20 is a side elevation of the pusher arm shown in Figure 19. I,

Figure 21 is a plan view of a platen adapted to receive alternate bottles from the feed belt.

15 and 17 are vertical l0nf which carries a worm 23 keyed thereon,

of the platen 1n the corking mechanism, a

portion of the machine being shown in lon- I gitudinal section.

In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like parts.

In the drawings, reference numerals 2, 3, and 4: indicate the legs which support the machine. Each of these legs comprises two uprights, one on each side of the machine connected at the top and bottom by a bridge or yoke, the whole being made in one casting as shown in Figure 3. Reference numeral 1 indicates the swinging support for the belt tightener that will be described later. Reference numeral 5 indicates the table supported by the legs, from which at the right hand end in Figure 1 is supported the bracket 6 which in turn supports the electric motor 7. The armature shaft of this motor carries a .pinion which mesheswith the gear 8 in Figure 4 for the purpose of driving said gear. Integral with this gear is the clutch detail View of the support 7 member 9. The gear and clutch are mounted to turn loosely on the shaft 10 which supports them. Splined to the shaft is the clutch member 11 operated by the arm 12 having the yokes 13 and 14 on the opposite ends thereof. The arm 12 is pivoted at 15. The yoke 14 engages the collar 16 on the horizontai rod 17, which is engaged by the crank 18 on the shaft 19. The shaft19 is turned by the lever 20. The opposite end of the horizontal rod 17 is engaged by a similar crank corresponding to 18 mounted on a shaft 21 and operated by the lever 22 so that the clutch may be operated from either side of the machine.

A clutch member 11 drives the shaft 10 which worm in turn meshes with the worm wheel 24 for the purpose of driving it. The worm wheel is mounted on the shaft 25. The shaft 25 on the end thereof carries a pinion 26 which meshes with an idler 27, which in turn meshes with the pinion 28 keyed on the shaft 29.

On the outer end of the shaft 10 is carried a pulley 30 which drives a belt 31, which in turn drives a pulley 32 keyed to a shaft 34-A. This shaft rotates in the bearing 33. On the inner end, the shaft is provided with a friction disc 35. The shaft 34 is provided in line with the shaft 34A. Splined on the shaft 34 is the clutch member 36, having a friction disc 37 that engages with the friction disc 35 so that it will be driven thereby;

The clutch member is held in engaging position with the two friction discs in contact by the expansion of the spring 38 and the disc 37 moves out of contact with the disc 35 by means of a crank 39 having a yoke- 40 thereon, which engages with the collar 41 forming part 'of the clutch. The crank 39 is carried on the crank shaft 42 to which it is pinned, which crank shaft extends through a bearing 43 and has a crank 44 on the opposite end thereof, which crank carries an anti-friction roller 45, which normally bears against the cam 46, being held in engagement therewith by the expansion of the spring 38. The active portion of the cam, in its rotation, forces the friction discs apart compressing the spring and thereafter by means of the machine bolts 49 and 50.

The range of adjusting is limited only by the length of the.curved slots 51 and 52. By this adjustment the active portions of the cams can be caused to overlap each other more or less forming one continuous surface that is exposed to the roller 45, thereby shortening or lengthening the time that the clutch is held opened.

The shaft 34 carries a pinion 53 on the end thereof. This pinion meshes with the gear 54, which gear is keyed to a shaft 55.

he shaft 55 carries a pinlon 56, which pinion meshes with the gear 57 keyed on the shaft 58. On the shaft 58 are keyed the pulleys 59 and 60, which pulleys drive the feed belts 61 and 62. The feedbelt 61 extends through the machine and passes over the pulley 63 and the feed belt 62 extends through the machine to the pulley 64. The pulley 63 is supported on a shaft mounted to rotate on a suitable bracket 63-A. The pulley 64 is mounted to rotate on an upright 65} pivotally mounted at 66, which has an uprlght engagement with the rod 67 by which it may be adjusted so that the slack of the belt 62 may be taken up independ-,

ently of the belt 61. The slack of both belts is taken up by means of the idlers 68 and 69, 70 and 71. In Figure 4 adjusting screws 72, 73, 74 and 75 are shown by means of which the shaft 76, which carries the idlers are mounted the screws and 81.

70 and 71, may be moved back and forth to tighten the .two belts simultaneously. A similar adjusting mechanism is provided in connection with the idlers 68-and 69 at the other endof the belts.

The belts 61 and 62 move together and at the same rate of speed. The belt 62 is used to feed the bottles to the machine. That is, the empty bottles are first placed thereon at the left hand end as shown in Figure 2, and the belt is advanced or moved to the right by an intermittent motion composed of short steps; The vmachine is shown-in Figure 2 arranged for filling six bottles at a time and the driving mechanism will be set so that the belt for each operation of the machine will be advanced a distance equal to or greater than the thickness of six bottles placed side by side in a row or a little more. Any desired number of bottles can be filled at a time, this depending on the diameter or thickness of the bottle and the length of the platen 96. The bottles are placed on the belt 62 in a continuous row and these bottles move forward with the belt.

In order to prevent the upsetting of the bottles, the belt is, driven with approximately a so-called harmonic motion by which it is started and stopped gradually. To secure this result I provide the following: I

Keyed to the shaft 34 is the fly wheel 77 which rotates therewith. When the clutch is closed and the friction discs are brought together, the fly wheel 77 will gradually gather speed and rotate, being carried by the shaft 34 until the clutch is opened, after which the fly wheel continues to rotate, driving the belts at a gradually decreasing speed until its energy is expended and the belts are brought to rest.

out upsetting, b'ut t e belts will also be stopped with the bottles in the correct position in each instance.

Mounted on the frame of the machine are the uprights or standards 7 8 and 79 in which On top of the uprights is the shaft 82 having bev eled gears thereon which mesh with corresponding gears on" thescrews 80 and 81. This shaft is turned by a handle 83. The screws 80 and 81 make threaded engagement with nuts which carry brackets 84 and 85,

which. in turn support the bridge 86 which carries the blocks and nozzles 87 for filling the bottles. By turning the screws 80 and 81, the bridge may be raised orlowered to correspond to the height of the bottles to be filled.

Mounted to move transversely of the belts is the pusher arm '88, which arm is mounted to shde on the guides 89 and 90, being moved to the leverv 92, pivoted on the shaft 93 carried on brackets supported on the frame of the machine. The lever is provided with the anti-friction roller 94 which engages with the cam 95 carried on the shaft 29. As the cam 95 rotates, it causes the pusher arm to move backward. The pusher arm is moved forward by acable 104. which passes over a' pulley 105 and is provided with a weight 106-on he end thereof. The falling of this weight causes the pusher arm to move forward and pushes the bottles transversely off of the belt onto a platen 96, which is positioned under the nozzles and stands normally on a level with the belts 61 and 62.

The platen 96' is raised after thebottles are in position thereon so as to bring the mouth or neck of each of the bottles into correct position with reference to the nozzle from which it is intended to be fed. This lifting movement of the platen is secured by the cam 97 which engages the anti-friction roller 98 carried between the parallel levers 99 pivoted at 100. From the free ends of these levers links 110 depend which links extend downward andv at their lower end are connected to the ends of a block 102, which block is supported thereby. Through this block extends the lower end of the stem 103, which block *is free to slide thereon. The stem 103 is threaded at both ends. At the top of the stem is placed the platen 96. Below this platen is placed the support 96A. The part 96--A comprises a sleeve having a diaphragm 96-G therein and. a flange 96-D on the top thereof, on which flange rests the platen 96. The stem 103 extends through the diaphragm and is secured thereto by means of a nut 103-C. After the nut is in place, the flange 96-D and the platen 96 are secured together by screws. The platen, support and stem when assembled form. one unit, all the parts of which move together. and down in a box 96B formed in the base of the machine.

The spring 103-A is provided surround-.

ing the stem 103. This spring supports the platen 96 from the block 102. The stem 103 passes through the block 102 and the lower end of the stemis secured in the block by the nut 103B which forms a shoulder on the stem and limits its upward movement in the block. The spring 103A is compressed between the block 102 and the diaphragm 96C.

When the ca 97 lifts the roller 98 and levers 99 the links 101 will be lifted and these in turn will lift the block 102, which through the spring 103A lifts the platen support and platen, and this in turn carrie the stem 103 with it, all the parts moving up together until the bottle is in proper filling position. If, however, the bottle enceive the bar 108. The sleeve travels up I counters any resistance in its upward move-. ment, such as dead centering on a nozzle, the upward movement of the platen will be pre- }vented but no damage will be done to the bottle because the block 102 will thereafter move up independently of the platen merely compressing the spring 103-A, thus permitting the platen to remain stationary. The spring is stiff enough to bring the platen and the bottles regularly in position, but will yield to prevent the breaking of a bottle in case of dead centering, etc.

When the bottles are in position, the mouths of them press against the packing 152 closely and make a tight joint therewith. This close contact and tight joint is necessary because the machine operates to fill the bottles by sucking the liquid into them by creatin a partial vacuum in each of the bottles in ependent of the other. Because of this if the mouth of the bottle is broken or mutilated so that it will not make close contact with the packing, or the body of the'bottle is perforated, a vacuum cannot be developed in'the bottle and the liquid will not flow to fill that bottle but the bottle will remain empty while other bottles in the set thatare perfect will fill.

For the purpose of centering each bottle under its nozzle, I provide a guide 110 which encircles the neck of the bottle as the bottle is raised and makes contact with the tapering shoulder of the bottle causing the mouth of the bottle to center itself therein. This guide will first engage with the mouth of the bottle and justify its position with reference to the nozzle so that the nozzle will pass into the mouth of the bottle andnot dead center on the surrounding edge. The guide is mounted to accommodate itself to bottles of different dimensions as follows:

The block is perforated to receive the stem 109. It also has guides 112 thereon to re- The bar 108 and the round stem 109 are fastened to the guide 110, the stem being threaded into the guide. Both the bar and stem move with the guide 110. The bar 108 rises and falls in the guide 112 and the stem 109 moves up and down in the opening in the block provided therefor. The stem 109 is encircled by the spring 113 which is compressed against the block as the guide rises and by which the guide 110 is held firmly seated on the shoulder of the bottle. Mounted on the bar 108 is the plate 114 having a T-shaped head thereon which engages with the tops of the guides 112 and limits the downward movement of the bar 108. This plate is slotted as'indicated at 115 and is adjustably clamped thereon by the screw 116- so that it may be raised or lowered thereon according to the size and length of the neck of the bottles to be filled.

The flow of liquid into the bottle is secured by apparatus which I will now describe.

Reference'numeral 120 indicates a supply tank which contains a supply of the liquid that is to be filled into the bottles. The

tank 120 is always open to the atmosphere and is at.all times at atmospheric pressure. From this tank the liquid is drawn into the bottles by-means of the suction pipe 121 which is connected to a block 122 through the tube 128A and the nipple 128 of which there is furnished one for every bottle to be filled. This blockis chambered out at 123 for the passage of the liquid. and at 124 for the passage of the air. In the bottom of the passage 123 is a threaded opening with which the nozzle 125 for the liquid makes threaded engagement. The bottom of the passage 124 has a threaded opening with which the nozzle 126 for the air makes threaded engagement. The opening in the passage 124 is larger than the opening in the passage 123 so that the base of the liquid nozzle can pass therethrough into engaging position. The air nozzle 126 is larger than the liquid nozzle and surrounds it so as to leave an annular space between the two nozzles through which the air can pass. The liquid nozzle is preferably extended a little below the end of the air nozzle as shown in Figure 7, or it may end on a level therewith or above it. The air passage 124 extends up through the block and at the top a nipple 127 makes threaded engagement therewith. The tube 129 leads from the nipple 127 to the manifold 130. Both the tubes 128A and 129 are flexible, preferably of rubber so that the blocks may be raised and lowered without disturbing the connection with the tanks to which they are connected. The blocks are carried on the bridge 86 with which they will be raised and lowered as the use of the machine may from time to time make necessary. The bridge 86 is provided with the slot 131 and the blocks are provided with the shoulders 132 and 133 which engage above and below the uide on the bridge. clamping screw 134 which extends through the slot 131, which clamping-screw may be released for the purpose of permitting the lateral adjustment of the block on the bridge and may then be tightened up for the purpose of clamping the block in place. In this,

mannereach block is separately adjustable on the bridge with relation to each other so as to secure the right distance between centers corresponding to the different sizes of the bottles that are to be filled. The bridge may be adjusted forward and back on the brackets 84 and 85. The bracket 84 is provided with the guide slot 135 and the bridge is provided with a flange 136 that makes engagement therewith. The bridge is-provided with slots 137 and 138 as shown in Figure Eachblock is provlded with a 2, through which extends set screws 139 and 140, which screws make threaded engagement with the brackets 84and 85 and by which the bridge is clamped in place when .the desired position has been secured.

Mounted on the uprights is the bracket 141 which carries the glass dome 142 which is supported on a seat 143 with which it makes air tight contact. The manifold 130 has connected thereto a goose neck 144 which extends u I into the dome and discharges therein. 1E tube 145 also extends upinto the dome and is connected at its outer end to a vacuum pump which furnishes the suction which causes the flow of liquid. The seat 143 on which the dome rests has a depression 146 in the central part thereof forming a drain to which is connected a pipe 147 which leads to the overflow pump 148. From the overflow pump a pipe 149 extends above the supply tank and discharges thereinto through a goose neck 150.

The operation of this part of the machine may be described as follows: 4

The auxiliary tank 120 is filled from pipe 151 to the desired level which may be maintained by a float and shut off valve such as is ordinarily used in cistern tanks. Suction is produced through the pipe 145 so that a partial vacuum is created in the dome 142. The bottles are then fed to the machine by the belt 68 and the desired number of bottles are brought into position under the nozzles 125 and 126. The bottles are then brought into connection with the nozzles, an air tight joint being made between the mouth of the from one of the nozzles, or if the bottle under one of the nozzles is defective so that it will not make a partial vacuum as above described, the liquid will not flow from the tank 120 into the bottle and the bottle will remain empty. As soon as the liquid has risen in the bottle so as to close around the lower end of the air nozzle, the flow of air from the bottle into the dome will stop and the excess liquid that is thereafter drawn into the bottle will be drawn out again through the air nozzle into the dome as fast as it flows into the bottle so that the height of the liquid in the bottle will not rise above the lower end of the air nozzle. This will fill bottles to an even height and take away the foam from the top of the liquidin the bottle and prevent drip-ping from the nozzle after the bottle is withdrawn therefrom as will be more fully explained later. As

a the platen,

,ing

. fill the bottles.

soon as the liquid begins to flow into the dome the cam 97 should operate to drop the platen 96 and take the bottles away from the nozzles. If the bottle sticks to the packing 152, it will be pushed away from it by the downward thrust of the guide 110. What-- ever liquid remains in the nozzle 125 and tube 128A will be held therein by a valve 15 i at the bottom of the tube 121. As shown in Fig. 3 a stop 154A is provided to limit the upward movement of the valve and the valve is held against this stop by the upward flow of the liquid. This stop is spaced a short distance above the normal position of the valve. When the bottle is removed from the nozzle the liquid flows back from the nozzle and tube as much as the downward movement of the valve permits. This prevents dripping of the nozzle. Whatever liquid may drip from the nozzle 125 will be caught by the air rushing up through the nozzle 126 and will be carried into the dome.

As soon as the filling of-the bottle is completed and the platen has returnedto the position shown in Figure 3, the pusher arm operates to push a second set of bottles under it being understood that in the meantime the feed belt has operated to advance the bottles thereon until they come into contact with the gage 155 which is set to position the bottles properly with reference to the pusher arm and the nozzles. It will be understood that the bottles may be placed irregularly on the belt bythe operator who feeds the machine that the bottles therefor may or may not be in close contact with each other, but when the bottles come into contact with the gage 155 the bottles are brought up into close order, the belt sliding under them as the bottles are arrested, leavthe bottles in each case directly opposite the nozzles by which they are to be filled. In this way the machine corrects any inaccuracy of the placing of the bottles on the belt by the operator. When the bottles are again in place against the gage in close order, the pusher arm then operates to push a second row of bottles onto the platen, leaving them in proper position thereon under the nozzle, and the second set of bottles as they are pushed onto the platen push the first set of bottles off of the platen and onto the belt 61. The belts then start to move forward after the platen has started to rise to When the plate is in its raised position, the side of it acts as a guide to hold the bottles on the moving belt. The belt 61 carries the bottles that are filled until they stand opposite to the pusher arm 156 in which position they are held by the gage 157. Opposite the pusher 156 is placed the standards or uprights 158 and 1.59. These standards are provided with screws 160 and 161 similar tothe screws 80 and-81 in the standards 7 8 and 79. These screws are 0p erated in unison by the shaft 162, by which they are turned for the purpose of raising or lowering the bridge 163, which can be set at the desired elevation and held therein. \Vhen the bottles have reached the desired position on the laten 165, the pusher arm 156 moves forwar being pressed forward by a cam 16 i carried on shaft 25, which cam is similar to the cam 95 carried on shaft 29, after which the platen is raised by the cam 166 carried on shaft 25, which cam is similar to the cam 97 carried on shaft 29, the cams operating through a mechanism similar to that shown in Figure 3. When the platen rises, it'carries thebottles with it. The corks have previously been put into the bottles by hand at any time before they are moved onto the platen 165. When the platen rises, it carries the bottles up and pushes the corks against the bridge 163 which remains stationary and holds the corks while the bottles are pushed up around them, thus, in effect, pushing the corks into the bottles. The platen 165 is carried on a stem 167 which corresponds with the stem 103, except that it is rigidly supported by the link which lifts it and cannotyield when the corks encounter the resistance of the bridge 163. This rigid support is secured by omitting the spring and extending the stem up until it makes contactwith the bottom of the platen as shown in Figure 3, the stem being secured to the block 102 by being threaded into it or by having a nut threaded on the stem above the block as is shown in Figure 23. By turning the two nuts at the bottom of the stem the platen is adjusted with reference to the belts.

After the corks have been driven into the bottles, the platen 165 descends and the pusher arm 156 pushes another row of hottles onto the platen, shoving the first row of bottles off of the platen onto the belt 62,

by which belt they are carried out of the machine.

The belt 62 is flanked by the stationary guide 168 on one side and a movable guide 169 on the other side. The movable guide is adjusted so as to leave space enough between the two guides to hold a row of bottles and hold them in line with each other so that they cannot stagger but will reach the usher arm in the regular row. The belt 61 is likewise flanked on one side by a stationary guide 170 and on the other side by a movable guide 171, which is also adjusted to correspond to the widthof the bottles.

The pusher arm is made adjustable in length as shown in Figures 19 and 20 and for this purpose is composed of the two sections 172 and 173 which are slotted as shown at 174 and 17 5, which sections are adjustable longitudinally on each other so that they can slide or telescope over each other and be clamped together in any desired relative po- "sition by the bolt 176 and thumb nut 177. J

The section 172 is provided with a guide 178 and the section 173 is provided with a guide 179, each of which guides engages the other section as they slide together and holds them in line with each other. I

In Figures 11, 13, 15 and 17 I have shown some of the different kinds of nozzles that I preferably use. in connection-with this machine. Each of the nozzles are for :1. articular purpose and are adapted to the nature and characters of the liquid to be fed thereby. In Figures 12, 14, 16 and 18 I have shown cross sections of these nozzles.

In all of these figures, the liquid nozzle is the inside nozzle and the air suction nozzle is the outside nozzle. In Figs. 11, 13 and 15 the nozzles all extend below the air nozzle, and in F ig.'17 the liquid nozzle is countersunk on the end with-acone shaped recess so that the drip from any of the three liquid openings shown in Figure 18 will flow down and out toward the air nozzle and will be taken up thereby. In the liquid nozzles of Figures 11 and 15 I have placed a bushing that greatly reduces the size of the liquid opening, such nozzles being intended for use for very. fluid liquids that flow easily.

' In Figure 15 the bushing is placed flush.

I. with the nozzle while in Figure 11 the bushing is counter-sunk to direct the drainage to the outside of the nozzle where it should be caught by the suction flow of air. In Figure 11 the two nozzles have a continuous concentric opening between them, as is shown in cross section in Figure 12. In- Figure 13 the outer nozzle has two small cylindrical openings in it for the passage of the air said openings being formed in a the annular part of the air or suction nozzle.

In these two figures the liquid nozzle completely fills the opening provided therefor in thea-ir nozzle so that no suction passes between them.

In Figure 15 the liquid nozzle is separated from the air nozzle by a square bushing having the corners cut off, leavingsegmental openings between it and the air nozzle at its lower end for the air suction. These reduced openings permit sufiicient air to pass and greatly obstruct the passage of the liquids and thereby reduce the overflow.

In Figure 17 the two nozzles are separated by a concentric mpenin'g as in the case of Figure 11, andthe liquid nozzle instead'of havin one large opening thereto provided with t ree small openings.

In filling very small bottles, it will be impossible to get the blocks that are regularly used close enough together so that the distance between centers of the blocks will cor:

' respond with the distance between centers of the bottles. This inequality between the spacing of the blocks and the spacing of the '88 is provided with teeth 185 which will engage with only the odd numbered bottles in the series. These teeth push the odd numbered bottles forward onto the platen. The platen is provided with guides 186 which will hold these bottles in correct position and will prevent the even numbered bottles from following the odd numbered bottles ontothe platen. These guides will also insure the proper pushing of the previous row of bottles off of the platen onto the belt 63.

The even numbered bottles remain in place on the belt 62 in open order and will be moved up into close order against the gage 155 on the next movement of the belt. The pusher arm 88 can thereafter again engage with the odd numbered bottles and push them onto the platen, again leavin the even numbered bottles on the belt. en the bottles are pushed off of the platen onto the belt 62, they remain spaced apart and move with the belt until their progress is arrested by the gage 157 which closes them up into close order. Thereafter they are pushed onto the platen 165, which then rises to drive the corks into the bottles, after which the bottles are returned to the belt 62. The bottles are removed from the belt 62 by the operator by hand or mechanically by means of a conveyor.

Mounted on the table are the uprights 187 and 188, 'on which is supported a plate 189 which acts as a guide for the bottles on the. belt 62 and holds them in line when the belt is moving forward for the purpose of putting them in close order. This plate is held at such an elevation that it will make contact with the bodies of the bottles and prevent the bottles from getting into the recess between the teeth 185 on the pusher arm when it is withdrawn. I

The guides 186 are integral with'the base plate which may be substituted for the platen 96 or may be attached thereto. If

attached to the platen, it would raise the surface of it above the belts and this inequality could be corrected by tightening up carry a row of bottles thereon,

and means for moving alternate bottles only from said belt to said platen, said platen being movable to present bottles to the filling devices.

2. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a platen, a belt traveling at the side of said platen, filling devices placed over the platen, said belt being adapted to carry a row of bottles thereon, means for moving alternate bottles only from said belt to said platen, means for closing up the remaining bottles on the belt, said platen being movable to present bottles to the filling devices.

3. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a platen composed of two plates, a stem connected to said platen, the under plate having an opening therein through which said stem extends, a nut between the plates with which the stem engages a spring surrounding the stem, a block mounted to slide on said stem, said spring being confined between the lower plate and said block, means on the bottom of the stem for holding the block on the stem.

4:. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a platen composed of two plates, a stem connected to said platen, the under plate having an opening therein through which said stem extends, a nut between the plates with which the stem engages, a spring surounding the stem, a block mounted to slide on said stem, said spring being confined between the lower plate and said block, means on the bottom of the stem for holding the block on the stem, and means for intermittently raising the block and thereby lifting-the platen through the spring.

5. In a bottle' filling machine, the combination of a platen, adjustable vertically and capable of supporting a number of bottles, a support at the side of the platen with reference to which the platen is adjustable, a bridge located above said platencapable of arresting the movement bridge being supported and being adjustable uniformly at both ends and means for raising said platen for the purpose of driving corks in said bottles, the bottom of said bridge presenting a smooth surface to the corks of all the bottles on the-platen.

6. In a bottle filling machine, the com:

bination of two platens, smooth belts moving parallel to said platens, one on each side of the platens, bottles from one belt to the first platen and then transferring them to the other belt, means for filling the bottles while on the first platen, said second belt advancing the bottles to the second platen, means for transferring the bottles from thesecond belt to the second platen and then transferring them to the first belt, a bridge against which said second platen operataes to move the bottles to drive corks in them.

of corks, said means for transferring 7 In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a platen, belts traveling on opposite sides of said platen, means for raising the platen, means for feeding said belts intermittently through uniform distances, While the platen is up, said feeding means including a fly wheel which moves only With the belt, the momentum-of which fiy wheel secures the uniform feed, said platen being adapted to receive bottles from one of the belts.

8. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a platen, belts traveling on opposite sides of said platen, means for raising the platen, a clutch for driving said belt while the platen is up, a cam for opening and closing said clutch, a flywheel moving with said belt-s, said fly wheel driving said belts with a progressively increasing and decreasing speed so that the belts are moved without upsetting the bottles thereon, said platen being adapted to receive bottles from one of the belts.

9. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a platen, belts traveling on opposite sides of said platen, means for raising the platen, running gears for said belts, a clutch for driving said running gears while the platen is up, a cam for opening said clutch and permitting said clutch to close,.

and a fly wheel moving with said belts and running gears, said fly wheel preventing suddenvstarting and stopping of the belts, said platen being adapted to receive bottles from one of the belts.

10. In a bottlefilling machine, the combination of a block, air and liquid passages in said block, nozzles extending down from said passages, one of said nozzles being concentric to the other nozzle, and a centering device carried-by said block and concentric with said nozzles, said centering device .being adapted to act on the sloping neck of the bottleto move the bottle laterally, said block having'guidesthereon and a bar on said centering device moving in said guides, an adjustable stop onsaid bar to limit the downward movement thereof.

11. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a block, air and liquid passages in said block, nozzles extending down from said passages, one of said nozzles being concentric to the other nozzle, and a centering.

device carried by said block and concentric with said nozzles, said centering device being adapted to act on the sloping neck of the bottle to move the bottle laterally, said block having guides thereon and 'a bar on said centering device moving in said guides, an adjustable stop on said bar to limit'the downward movement thereof, a yielding platen for raising bottles into contact with said centering device.

12. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a frame with a pair of uprights I thereon, a bridgefsupported between said upspaced apart thereon at variable distances.

13. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a frame a pair of uprights thereon, a bridge supported between said uprights, means for lowering and raising the bridge on said uprights, means permitting theadjustment of the bridge laterally between said uprights.

14. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a belt, running gear for said belt, a clutch for driving said running-gear, means for opening and closing said clutch automatically, a fly wheel moving with said belt and running gear, said fly wheel caus ingthe belt to complete its movement after the opening of the clutchand preventing sudden stopping of the belt, a platen adjacent tosaid belt, said platen being adapted to receive bottles from said belt, means for raising the platen, said fly wheel moving said belt when the platen is up.

15. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a belt, running gear for said belt, a clutch for driving said running gear, means for opening and closing said clutch automatically, a fly wheel moving with said belt and running gear, said fly wheel causing the belt to start gradually from rest and thus preventing the upsetting of the bottles carried thereby, a platen adjacent to said belt, said-'- platen being adapted to receive bottles from said belt, means for raising the platen, said fiy wheel moving said belt when the platen is up.

'16. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a belt, runnin gear for said belt, a clutch for driving said running gear,

means .for opening and closing said clutch automatically, a fly wheel moving with said belt and running gear, said clutch and said fiy wheel driving the belt through uniform distances, and filling means adjacent to said belt, means for moving the bottles from the belt to the filling means.

17. In a bottle filling machine, the combinationof a supply tank open to the atg 'the bottles from the second belt to the secmosphere having connections including a stationary nozzle adapted to make close contact with the mouth of the bottle, continually open means for creating a partial vacuum in the bottle, causing the liquid to flow from the supply tank into the bottle said means operating to remove from the bottle all liquids in excess of a predetermined amount, said vacuum creating means lncluding'a vacuum receptacle into which the excess liquid is discharged, means for returning the excess liquid from said vacuum receptacle to the supply tank.

18. In a bottle filling machine, the comhaving a retarded closing to prevent drip at the nozzle.

19. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of a platen, belts traveling on opposite sides of said platen, means for raising the platen, means for feeding said belts in- I termittently through uniform distances while the platen is up, said feeding means including a fly wheel which moves only with the belt, a clutch for driving said fly wheel, the momentum of which fly wheel secures the gradual starting of the belt after the clutch is closed and secures the gradual stopping of thebelt after the clutch is opened.

20. In a machine for filling bottles by vacuum, the combination ofan adjustable platen, an adjustable bridge located above said platen, capable of arresting the movement of corks, means for raising said platen for the purpose of driving corks in said bottles, a belt adjacent to saidplaten, means for transferring bottles from said belt to said platen, said transferring means moving a given number of bottles from a continuous row of bottles laterally from the belt to the platen and means for driving said belt so as to present an excess of bottles with the quota in a continuous row adjacent to the platen, said platen being adjustable up and down with reference to said belt.

21. In a bottle filling machine, the combination of two platens, smooth belts moving parallel to said platens, one on each side of the platens, means for transferring bottles from one belt to the first platen, means for filling the bottles, said transferring means thereafter moving them to the second belt, said second belt advancing the bottles to the second platen, means for transferring 

